The Motorola Droid 3 made its debut today with very little fanfare--despite previous hubbub of rumors and leaks--and is available now online from Verizon Wireless for $199.99 with a two-year contract ($459.99 off contract) and in stores by July 14.

Much like the original Droid and Droid 2, the Droid 3 features a slide-out, five-row QWERTY keyboard but boasts a larger and better 4-inch qHD (960x540) touch screen. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread-based smartphone also packs a dual-core processor, 16GB of internal memory, and an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture. There is also a front-facing camera (though resolution was not specified at the time of this writing) for video calls, and the handset comes preloaded with Skype mobile.

The Droid 3 is a dual-mode phone, so you can use it globally. All the standard wireless options are there as well--Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, aGPS, 3G, and mobile hot-spot capabilities for up to five devices. However, it does not support Verizon's LTE 4G network.

We're sure the lack of 4G will be a turn-off for some, but there are plenty of people who still crave physical keyboards as well. We hope to get a review unit shortly so check back soon for our full review. If you do decide to get one now, remember that Verizon's new tiered data and mobile hot-spot plans take effect today.

About the author

Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
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